NASHVILLE – While matches and lighters are useful resources to adults, curious children may use them to unintentionally start fires. The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) is urging parents to talk to their kids about the safe uses of matches and lighters, while ensuring these tools are stored in a secure location out of children’s reach and sight.

NASHVILLE – Flooding is the most common and expensive natural disaster in the U.S., according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Floods cost our nation nearly $8.2 billion annually. Yet, a 2016 Insurance Information Institute poll found that only 12 percent of U.S. homeowners have flood insurance. In Tennessee, most homeowners don’t have flood insurance. To raise awareness of the importance of flood insurance, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) offer tips and information to help consumers better understand the importance of flood insurance.

NASHVILLE – With a new school year getting underway this week for residents of the Volunteer State, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) is reminding consumers that education doesn’t stop in the classroom. TDCI’s divisions are offering consumers tips and reminders to help ensure your back-to-school season is safe and scam-free.

NASHVILLE – Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam today honored 23 state employees who are helping Tennessee lead by providing outstanding state services every day. The employees, who were nominated by their departments’ leadership for the Governor’s Excellence in Service Awards, were invited to attend a luncheon at the Tennessee Residence for providing efficient and effective service to the state and their fellow Tennesseans. “The employees honored today are on the forefront of improving how Tennessee state government delivers services,” Haslam said. “By exceeding leadership and customer expectations, creating innovative solutions or improving processes and services, these state employees are helping provide taxpayers with the highest quality service at the lowest possible cost.”

NASHVILLE – As technology is increasingly prevalent in our daily lives, scammers are using these new tools to reinvent their schemes and swindle unsuspecting consumers. To help raise consumer awareness, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs is reminding Volunteer State residents to be on the lookout for con artists using technology as their platform to perpetrate scams.

NASHVILLE – Stop, drop, and roll is one of the oldest and most well-known fire safety messages, but it’s not the only fire safety message you or your family should remember during a fire emergency. The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) reminds parents that children may get the ‘stop, drop and roll’ message confused with other equally important home fire safety messages. With a new school year on the horizon, the SFMO is encouraging parents to talk to their kids about when to stop, drop, and roll.

NASHVILLE – Whether your vacation plans include sunshine, mountain vistas, or ocean waves, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance reminds consumers to evaluate their insurance risks and needs before setting off to recharge with family and friends this summer.

NASHVILLE – If you’ve gone on vacation in a resort-populated area, it’s likely you’ve been offered to join a timeshare seminar. With vacation season in full swing, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs is offering tips to help consumers avoid common scams and potentially unfair or deceptive sales tactics involving timeshares.

NASHVILLE – As temperatures have soared to new heights, most Tennesseans would agree that an air-conditioning unit is a survival staple. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) is warning consumers to be on the lookout for scammers trying to make a profit from charging for unnecessary AC repair work.

NASHVILLE – Summertime traditionally brings family vacations, relaxation, and plans for a new school year. But AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety reports a more perilous side to summer as over 1,050 people were killed in auto crashes involving a teen driver in 2016 during the 100 Deadliest Days, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That’s an average of 10 deaths per day—an increase of 14 percent compared to other times of the year. Speed and nighttime driving were significant factors contributing toward the number of crashes and fatalities.

NASHVILLE – Tennesseans now have greater protection from military impersonators, improved assistance when recovering from identity theft and cannot be charged by credit reporting companies when enacting security freezes, among other new protections. Those improvements are courtesy of several consumer-oriented laws passed earlier this year by the Tennessee General Assembly.

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) is reminding parents and caregivers of the necessity of child fire safety education this summer in light of a recent analysis of state fire data that reveals an ongoing increase in child fire fatalities during the months of June and July.

NASHVILLE – Ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) is raising awareness of the dangers posed by consumer fireworks and urging Tennesseans to leave the fireworks to the pros instead of risking their lives and possibly breaking the law by detonating fireworks themselves.

NASHVILLE – In honor of National Insurance Awareness Day (Thursday, June 28), the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) is reminding Tennesseans to conduct an annual review of their life, home, and automobile insurance policies to ensure their coverages fit their current needs.

NASHVILLE – As Tennessee’s strong economy continues making the Volunteer State a popular destination for newcomers, the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs is offering tips to prospective renters on how to avoid becoming a victim of moving and/or home rental scammers.